General News

Money laundering case: IAS Pooja Singhal’s CA Suman Kumar arrested, BJP seeks clarification from CM Soren

May 7, 2022
Bharat Times English News

Summary

The ED on Friday arrested CA Suman Kumar of Jharkhand government’s Mines and Geology Secretary Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case following the recovery of Rs 19.31 crore in cash from locations linked to Singhal, an ED official said. The ED has also seized incriminating documents from Kumar. Out of Rs 19.31 crore, Rs 17.51 ​​crore has been recovered from the premises of Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) proceedings are going on for the second day against IAS officer Pooja Singhal, who is considered close to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Secretary of the Department of Mines and Geology, and her close associates. In the course of investigation, ED officials reached the Pulse Hospital in Ranchi, the husband of Pooja, Abhishek Jha early on Saturday morning. Along with this, CA Suman Kumar of Pooja Singhal has been arrested. Apart from this, ED’s investigation is going on at 11 locations of the country in this case.

Earlier, in the action taken on Friday, the ED team has seized cash worth Rs 19.31 crore from their different locations. The Enforcement Directorate team had reached Ranchi on Thursday night itself. Late night the team stayed at the ED office on Airport Road and from here the complete blueprint of the raid was prepared. On Friday morning, the ED team reached the Pulse Hospital of Pooja Singhal’s husband Abhishek Jha. Apart from this, they also reached their other places in Ranchi.

The ED on Saturday arrested CA Suman Kumar of Jharkhand government’s Mines and Geology Secretary Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case following the recovery of Rs 19.31 crore in cash from locations linked to Singhal, an ED official said. The ED has also seized incriminating documents from Kumar. Out of Rs 19.31 crore, Rs 17.51 ​​crore has been recovered from the premises of Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar.

Earlier on Friday, this action lasted for 16 hours, along with 19.31 crore cash, documents of about 150 crore property have also been found. The ED team has also raided the house of his relatives. In the course of the ED investigation, Pooja’s father-in-law Kameshwar Jha also reached the house of Muzaffarpur, his brother and parents living in Delhi. The ED has raided more than 18 locations across the country. In this, most of the raids have taken place in Jharkhand.

IAS Pooja Singhal has been accused of giving contracts for sand mining on her own volition to contractors of her choice. Jharkhand High Court advocate Rajiv Kumar had filed this complaint with the ED in February 2022. Simultaneously, the ED is also probing Singhal’s involvement in irregularities in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Act (MGNREGA) in Khunti and Chhatra districts. Pooja Singhal is a 2000 batch IAS officer. She was earlier posted as Deputy Commissioner in Khunti district.

Sources say that soon ED will take action against many more officers in this case. This includes an officer of the CMO and an officer associated with the construction work, considered close to the Chief Minister.

BJP seeks clarification from CM
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday hit out at the Jharkhand government, alleging that a Rs 150-crore mining scam was unearthed after the Enforcement Directorate raided the premises of officials and businessmen in the state. Party’s national spokesperson Nalin Kohli said that during the raids by the Enforcement Directorate in Jharkhand, crores of rupees have been detected. A mining-related scam has been exposed by these raids in the last 24 hours. The raids have been conducted in the premises of the officer who looks after the mining in the state. Chief Minister Hemant Soren is himself the Mining Minister. Seeking clarification from the state government, the BJP leader asked whether it is not the responsibility of the state government to issue a clarification. Crores of public money has been looted. The government should clarify whose money is this and where did it come from?

Expansion

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) proceedings are going on for the second day against IAS officer Pooja Singhal, who is considered close to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Secretary of the Department of Mines and Geology, and her close associates. In the course of investigation, ED officials reached the Pulse Hospital in Ranchi, the husband of Pooja, Abhishek Jha early on Saturday morning. Along with this, CA Suman Kumar of Pooja Singhal has been arrested. Apart from this, ED’s investigation is going on at 11 locations of the country in this case.

Earlier, in the action taken on Friday, the ED team has seized cash worth Rs 19.31 crore from their different locations. The Enforcement Directorate team had reached Ranchi on Thursday night itself. Late night the team stayed at the ED office on Airport Road and from here the complete blueprint of the raid was prepared. On Friday morning, the ED team reached the Pulse Hospital of Pooja Singhal’s husband Abhishek Jha. Apart from this, they also reached their other places in Ranchi.

The ED on Saturday arrested CA Suman Kumar of Jharkhand government’s Mines and Geology Secretary Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case following the recovery of Rs 19.31 crore in cash from locations linked to Singhal, an ED official said. The ED has also seized incriminating documents from Kumar. Out of Rs 19.31 crore, Rs 17.51 ​​crore has been recovered from the premises of Chartered Accountant Suman Kumar.

Earlier on Friday, this action lasted for 16 hours, along with 19.31 crore cash, documents of about 150 crore property have also been found. The ED team has also raided the house of his relatives. In the course of the ED investigation, Pooja’s father-in-law Kameshwar Jha also reached the house of Muzaffarpur, his brother and parents living in Delhi. The ED has raided more than 18 locations across the country. In this, most of the raids have taken place in Jharkhand.

IAS Pooja Singhal has been accused of giving contracts for sand mining on her own volition to contractors of her choice. Jharkhand High Court advocate Rajiv Kumar had filed this complaint with the ED in February 2022. Simultaneously, the ED is also probing Singhal’s involvement in irregularities in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Act (MGNREGA) in Khunti and Chhatra districts. Pooja Singhal is a 2000 batch IAS officer. She was earlier posted as Deputy Commissioner in Khunti district.

Sources say that soon ED will take action against many more officers in this case. This includes an officer of the CMO and an officer associated with the construction work, considered close to the Chief Minister.

BJP seeks clarification from CM

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday hit out at the Jharkhand government, alleging that a Rs 150-crore mining scam was unearthed after the Enforcement Directorate raided the premises of officials and businessmen in the state. Party’s national spokesperson Nalin Kohli said that during the raids by the Enforcement Directorate in Jharkhand, crores of rupees have been detected. A mining-related scam has been exposed by these raids in the last 24 hours. The raids have been conducted in the premises of the officer who looks after the mining in the state. Chief Minister Hemant Soren is himself the Mining Minister. Seeking clarification from the state government, the BJP leader asked whether it is not the responsibility of the state government to issue a clarification. Crores of public money has been looted. The government should clarify whose money is this and where did it come from?

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